Behind the scenes
As my first season with Warwickshire Seniors comes to an end, it’s a great time to reflect on what has been a fantastic experience—one that has truly renewed my love for the game.
There were some decent scores along the way and a run to the Quarter Finals with the 2nd XI, but more importantly new bonds and friendships were forged. I now have a new opening partner in Giles Clements. Having played against Giles for many years, it’s been brilliant to finally team up, get to know him, and build a new friendship. I was lucky enough to share a 255-run opening partnership with Giles against Staffordshire!
A big shout out to everyone at Warwickshire for all the hard work behind the scenes and for making both Claire and myself feel so welcome.
Looking forward to the new challenges that 2026 will bring. 👌🏻💪🏏❤️
It’s amazing to think that it’s been a year since I first met Ian Woosnam and took the photo that would later feature in my book. Ian kindly went on to support the project, and it was fantastic to catch up with him again—this time to get some signed copies and to present him with his own personal copy.
Ian has truly inspired me to never give up on my dreams, and I hope my story can do the same for others.
With well over 200 copies now sold, the prize draw has now taken place! Huge congratulations to Neal McGrath from Rugby Cricket Club, who is not only the winner of a free cricket bat but who also has the opportunity to tour around the amazing Gray-Nicolls factory. A huge thank you must go to Richard Gray and the rest of the team at Gray-Nicolls for their very kind support.
A huge thank you to Tim Mercer at Mercer Books for believing in my work and for helping make this dream come true. You can find more out about the book and Mercer books using the following link -
https://mercerbooks.co.uk/non-fiction/hitting-as-for-six/
Despite the weather we had a fantastic day out at Lord’s Cricket Ground to watch England Ladies secure a win against India.
Hope you enjoyed your birthday present Jo Sharney!
I also got to check on my plaque on the Father Time Wall, a gift from my gorgeous wife Claire.
They don’t call me Champagne Charlie for nothing!
Love this ground and the joy cricket brings to my life.
If Carlsberg did weeks… 🍻
Another great victory with the Bears 🐻 and a solid partnership with my new opening partner Giles Clements — lucky enough to watch him smash a sensational 💯!
Also had the privilege of playing against the England Over 40’s North side and witnessing another brilliant 💯 from my coach Jason Jakey Jakeman. Top cricket all round.
Fantastic to be back playing with the Meteors after so many years — great to pull on the shirt again.
To top it all off, a nostalgic trip down memory lane back to Queen’s to watch some tennis and show my gorgeous wife where it all began on the rackets courts. Seeing my photo still up on the wall was surreal and humbling. With a chapter in my book on playing at Queen’s — it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Grateful beyond words for all the wonderful opportunities sport has given me — and even more so for the lifelong friendships it’s built along the way. 🙏
Working with NASS has been an honour and a privilege. I’m extremely grateful for their support in helping to promote my book. A huge thank you to Marcia Waugh for creating a video that highlights some of the key elements behind writing Hitting AS for Six.
Click the link below to watch the full video.
: https://nass.co.uk/news/hitting-as-for-six-a-book-by-charlie-robards/
Big thank you to the Cricketer for sharing my story. It was great to discuss all things cricket and promote the book with David Sharman.
Please find a link below to the interview and to find out more:
Big thank you to Debbie Wilson from Inflammatory Arthritis UK for posting my blog.
Please find a link below to read more:
Charlie Robards – Living with Axial SpA – Inflammatory Arthritis UK
The books have arrived!!
A big thank you to Tim Mercer at Mercer Books for making this happen. Claire and I have been very busy shipping out the pre-orders.
BBC Radio guesting
A big thank you to BBC Coventry and Warwickshire Radio for having me as a guest! It was an honor to chat with Vic Minett on her show and share my story.
Introduction into Hitting As for Six
Find out why “Hittings As for Six” means so much to me in this short video message.
Dad’s birthday
Sharing Dad’s birthday wine tasting made the perfect moment to give him the first copy of Hitting AS for Six. Thank you, Mum and Dad, for your unwavering support through the years!
House of Commons
What an absolute honor and privilege to have been invited by NASS to attend their annual awards ceremony at the House of Commons on April 1st, celebrating their incredible Changemaker Winners! Claire and I had a great time. Had some great conversations and even a few about my book. Thank you so much, NASS!
Getting ready for Summer 2025!
I’ve been training hard through the winter under the watchful eye of my brilliant coach, Jason Jakeman. He assures me that the cold showers and the stiff, sore body afterwards will all be worth it! I’ve included a couple of videos below to show the effort I’ve been putting in. Training regularly and keeping my body moving-while also respecting how it reacts-is crucial for managing my disease.
Summer is around the corner. Practice and Recovery.
It was great to finally get outside for some training with Jason recently. The sunshine makes such a huge difference to how I feel. I’m learning to respect the process—putting in the work during training, and then giving my body the time it needs to recover.
Sports massage, physio, and acupuncture, along with my fortnightly immunosuppressant injection and daily anti-inflammatories, are all part of my routine. I try to swim three to four times a week and make use of the sauna, steam room, and cold showers to support recovery. Lately, I’ve also added high-strength turmeric shots to the mix.